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RussiaWhat to Expect and Is It Worth Visiting
Khunzakh fortress or Aranin fortress is one of several well–preserved Russian fortresses in Dagestan, an example of a fortification and a historical monument of the XIX century. It occupies an area of 3 hectares and is located just 50 meters from the picturesque Tsolotl Canyon and two powerful and high waterfalls – Tobot and Itlyatlyar. By the name of the village of Arani, to which the fortress belongs geographically, it is also called Araninskaya. By the way, until 1929, Arani was part of the village of Khunzakh, so in many sources the first name was assigned to the object. You can visit it within one day from Derbent, Makhachkala, Izberbash or Guniba, and you can also come here (to the village Hunzakh) with an overnight stay.
The fortress was built in 1867 for the Russian garrison, and its main importance was the preservation and retention of the Russian emperor's power over the peoples of the North Caucasus after the Caucasian War (1817-1864) and the suppression of discontent in case of their occurrence. In 1871, Emperor Alexander II came here, traveling from Gunib to Chechnya. The structure is built of stone and has a wall width of about 1 meter. There were barracks, warehouses for weapons and equipment, a hospital, stables and a church on the territory.
Today, the premises of the fortress are still in use. Most of the fortress territory is occupied by a military unit and a military commissariat, so the entrance there is closed. Only a small part of the fortification is available for inspection from the inside, along which you can walk freely. However, this will not give much pleasure, because although the fortress has been preserved well outwardly, but its part accessible for inspection looks abandoned and dull. According to local sources, in 2018 it was planned to start the restoration of this monument, but there are no traces of it: everything inside is overgrown and is gradually being destroyed. It's not even clear exactly what to watch here. In general, the place is not impressive and we do not recommend going here on purpose, but along with visiting the waterfalls you can also explore the fortress.
🕐 Working hours
Around the clock.
💵 Entrance fee / ticket price
Free of charge.
🚶 How to get there
The fortress is located in the village of Arani near the village Hunzakh 189 kilometers from Derbent and 151 from Makhachkala (entrance to the Hunzakh Fortress on the map). It can be reached by asphalt by car, there is a good road. The main entrance to the fortress passes through the gate, on which there are signs informing about the historical value of the structure. There is ample free parking in front of the main gate. Here you can park your car and walk through the fortress to the waterfalls and canyon.
You can also get here with a guided tour. Such one-day tours are offered from Makhachkala, Derbent and Izberbash, the cost starts from 3500 rubles/person, you can book them online at Sputnik8.com or Tripster.ru
💥 We remind you that it is much more interesting to get acquainted with the sights of Dagestan with the help of excursions, and therefore we advise you to look at online booking options on these proven search and price comparison sites: